The school day came to a close, and students poured out of the building, eager to begin their weekend. Among them were Victoria and her friends, their laughter filled the atmosphere as they made their way towards the school gates.
As they reached the exit, Victoria's attention was drawn to a familiar figure walking towards his car. It was Damon, the alpha of their pack, and Victoria couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement at the sight of him.
"Oh god, he is so dreamy," Francesca exclaimed, her eyes fixed on Damon as he approached his car.
"Hey, I called dibs first, remember?" Beverly retorted playfully, nudging Francesca with her elbow.
Ignoring her friends, Victoria took a deep breath and strutted confidently towards Damon, her heart pounding in her chest.
"Hey, the name's Victoria, but I think you remember me from yesterday," she said, extending her hand for Damon to shake.
Damon returned the handshake with a polite smile. "Nice to meet you, Victoria," he replied.
"I know who you are. We all know who you are. You're my alpha, after all," Victoria said, her voice dripping with confidence.
Damon nodded, his expression unreadable. "You've got to be careful with your friends, running around in the forest fully turned," he cautioned.
"We were. Besides, the humans of this town know not to go into the forest at that point in time," Victoria replied smoothly, inching a little closer to Damon.
As she leaned in, she couldn't help but notice the way Damon's eyes flickered with amusement. "You could ask me to lunch this afternoon," she suggested, her tone playful.
Damon chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Look, you're beautiful, but I think you're exhausted from literally just finishing school for today."
"I'm not tired," Victoria insisted, her determination shining through. "And if it's about age, I'm seventeen and will be eighteen next month. I heard you're twenty one, so not much difference. Besides, seventeen is legal in this state. Believe me, I've checked," she added, punctuating her words with a flirtatious wink.
Damon raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by Victoria's boldness. "I'll keep that in mind," he said, his lips quivering into a faint smile.
"Wait, let me call my sister to drive my car back home while we go," Victoria exclaimed, reaching for her phone. With a few quick taps, she dialed her sister's number and waited for her to pick up.
As they waited, Vera emerged from the crowd, her timid demeanor standing in stark contrast to Victoria's boldness. Damon's eyes lingered on Vera for a moment, recognizing her from their earlier encounter.
"Oh, her. We've met," Damon remarked casually, his gaze flickering between Victoria and Vera.
Victoria looked Vera from head to toe, her expression darkened at Damon's comment, a pang of jealousy coursing through her. She quickly shook it off and turned her attention back to Vera.
"Vere, Vera, come here," Victoria called out to her sister, gesturing for her to join them.
Vera approached hesitantly, her eyes darting nervously between Victoria and Damon. She knew all too well how Victoria could be, especially when she was in the presence of someone she admired.
"Oh, hi," Damon repeated, his tone laced with amusement as he glanced at Vera once more.
Ignoring Damon's remark, Victoria turned to Vera with a forced smile. "Today's your lucky day, Vera. You get to drive my car back home. And remember, I don't want any scratches," she said, thrusting the car keys into Vera's hand.
Vera accepted the keys with a grateful nod, her eyes briefly meeting Damon's as she murmured, "Thank you for earlier."
Damon nodded in acknowledgment, his gaze lingering on Vera for a moment longer before returning to Victoria.
Francesca, who had been watching the exchange with interest, couldn't resist adding her own commentary. "That bitch Victoria. Guess you and I, Beverly, are not getting him," she remarked with a hint of bitterness.
Beverly shrugged, a playful smile tugging at her lips. "Who needs him anyway? Since Victoria and Damon are going to happen, maybe you and I could finally go out," she suggested, nudging Jordan with her elbow.
Jordan grinned at Beverly's remark, playfully shoving her back. "Sounds like a plan to me," he replied, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
Vera parked the car in the driveway, her heart heavy with the weight of her family's expectations. As she stepped out of the car, her parents emerged from the house, their expressions expectant.
"What are you doing in your sister's car? Where is your sister?" George inquired, his brow furrowed with concern.
Vera hesitated for a moment before responding, her voice barely above a whisper. "She went on a date with Alpha Damon," she replied, her words tinged with a mix of resignation and bitterness.
Samantha's eyes widened with joyful glee at Vera's words, her voice trembling with excitement. "It's finally happening! Our daughter is going out with the Alpha, just as the oracle prophesied," she exclaimed, her hands clasped together in anticipation.
George nodded in agreement, a proud smile spreading across his face. "With the way this is going, I might even become one of the elders of this pack," he mused, his voice filled with pride.
Vera's heart sank at her parents' words, the weight of their expectations crushing down on her. She knew that she could never live up to the idealized image of her sister that they held in their minds.
"What are you still doing here? Get inside and start dinner," Samantha commanded, her tone brisk and authoritative. "And the house won't clean itself. Oh, and your sister's laundry is full too," she added, her words a reminder of Vera's place in the family hierarchy.
With a heavy sigh, Vera nodded silently and made her way into the house. As she entered the kitchen, she felt a sense of resignation wash over her. No matter how hard she tried, she would always be overshadowed by her sister's accomplishments.
As she began preparing dinner, Vera couldn't shake the feeling of emptiness that gnawed at her insides. She longed for a sense of belonging, a place where she could truly be herself without the weight of her family's expectations bearing down on her.
But for now, she would continue to play the role assigned to her, silently enduring the taunts and jabs of her sister and her friends, all the while longing for a glimmer of acceptance and understanding in the eyes of those she loved most.